Boxing: Short vs Tall

[Neil]

I want some advice on how a shorter swarmer can defeat a taller boxer? Looking at Rocky Marciano, he would put his guard up high, bend his knees as much as he could, and rolled his body up-basically making it as small and as compact as possible. He would then charge in close so he could use his small stoxky arms and fight in-side the oppenant competely mauling him, and making the other boxer useless to use any of his boxing ability.

 

Any other advice on how a short swarmer can defeat a tall boxer woyuld be very helpful and appreciated. By the way if your wandering why I made this post is that I will be boxing now and at 5'7 I am pretty short, but I am quite heavy at 15 and weigh around 73 kg.

 

Neil

[Northren Ogre]

Keep your guard up, time his jabs(which most fighters use to keep shorter fighters away), and lunge in with a powershot upstairs. Then tuck in and keep close to the taller fighter, pounding away at his body. Don't let him get his punches at full extension. As the shorter fighter, you have to get in close to make yourself more effective, and him less effective. Once inside, pound away at his body, taking away his wind and his legs. Really work his liver over with powerful left hooks to the body.

 

Snap a few big hooks upstairs when in close. But don't get into a pushing match with the bigger fighter. Most bigger fighters will try and lean on you,shoving you towards the ground in an attempt to make you spend energy trying to push them off. Let them lean on you, and work thier body at that time.

 

Getting in is a pain in the ass, but letting your opponent get his distance again is even more frustrating..once in, stay in close.

[Neil]

Yeah thats exactly what I want. Thanks a lot. Any more strategeis would be kindly appreciated and helpful,

 

Neil

[Cyph]

Go and practice your eye jabs?

[Thuggish]

yea get inside, work the body, when the guard drops, work the head. dont let him clinch you, chase after him if he backs away, and be ready to take a hit or two getting to that inside postition.

[Neil]

Marciano used to take 3 or 4 punches just to deliver one. It is said that it is the most brutal fighter to be, and thats why there are so little of them. Today there are virtually none, especially in the heavyweight world.

 

Are jabs really hard to get passed? When I do see the occasional swarmer they always seemed to be really troubled by getting passed the jab, and as soon as he does get close in they clinch. Are I would imagine that jabs arn;t that hard to get passed-all you have to do is raise your fists up by your head and charge. Just charge him, with him hiiting your fists while you pumle at his body, but I guess it obviously not as easy as that is it?

 

Neil

[Guy_Who_Fights]

A jab can be very difficult to get by if your opponent knows how to use it. Keeping your hands up is not the trick at all because a good boxer will actually stop you in your tracks with their jab.

 

I am 5'9" myself and regularly spar with a guy who is 6'5". Here are my tips (minus what has aleardy been mentioned) on how to best get in. These are geared towards times when you have a great height difference such as in my case.

 

1. When fighting someone of similar height to yourself, you are able to stay just out of punching range and enter the range to strike. A taller opponent has a much greater range than you. If you stay out of their range and enter to strike, you will still be out of your range by the end of your lunge. Taking mutliple steps to get in takes too long and should not work against a decent opponent. Therefore, when at a great height disadvantage, stay within your opponent's punching range, but still just outside of yours. Staying outside of your own punching range means that you are only within range for your opponent to throw jabs and crosses without advancing. Rely on a solid defense to perry all of the jabs, and when the cross comes, perry/slip it and lunge in. Entering off of a jab may result in you getting caught with a good cross and taking a fall. If your opponent advances before you do, to throw a hook or uppercut, advance yourself simultaneously.

 

2. When you go in, forget striking the head! The distance from you to your taller opponent's head is greater than the distance from you to your taller opponent's body. Since you are trying to overcome the distance caused by the taller opponent, don't add to the problem by going for the more distant target right away. Go for the body. Anyone with boxing experience knows that body shots hurt! After at least two shots to the body, let the combinations flow naturally.

 

If your opponent steps back and you chase him, be careful it is not a trap!

 

3. Fake! Feigning strikes should be every bit as common as real punching. It should be nothing special, especially against a taller opponent. Feigns will distract your opponent while you get in, and also create many openings.

 

Before you even think about fighting a taller opponent, work relentlessly at developing a rock solid defense!

 

Good luck!

[Neil]

Thats very interesting. I already know about hiting to the body, as you really want to be doing something that you can do better than what he can. For example why hit the head-since he has more advantage and suitabilit to punching to the head, where as punching to the body is more suited to the shorter fighter as he is already squat enough to pumle straight into it, wheras the taller one may find that difficult to crouch low enough.

 

Did you see the Lewis vs Klitshko fight? There where hardly any body shots. Also the higher a punch or kick travels, the weaker it gets, becasue obviously you are going against gravity, rather than using it. Thats why when you see all these martial artists using all these high punches and kicks, you can really see how much they really know about fighting. You want to be punching down. I know I must make everything as short as possible, and use my waist and bum to manifest the punch, and get all my power from bending my knees as much as possible. Yamaguchi sensei used to say that all karate happens below the knees. Standing toe-to-toe is not good, but getting in-close is the only way to be at my most effective. I want really small powerful punches. Remember, the further a punch travels, the weaker it gets, as it is being isolated from the body more and more.

[Guy_Who_Fights]

Bruce Lee actually stressed punching on an upward angle throughout Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Read the book again to find out why. (this isn't a plug for T of JKD, it's just that I'm not going to quote half the book)

[Warp Spider]

Thats very interesting. I already know about hiting to the body, as you really want to be doing something that you can do better than what he can. For example why hit the head-since he has more advantage and suitabilit to punching to the head, where as punching to the body is more suited to the shorter fighter as he is already squat enough to pumle straight into it, wheras the taller one may find that difficult to crouch low enough.

 

Did you see the Lewis vs Klitshko fight? There where hardly any body shots. Also the higher a punch or kick travels, the weaker it gets, becasue obviously you are going against gravity, rather than using it. Thats why when you see all these martial artists using all these high punches and kicks, you can really see how much they really know about fighting. You want to be punching down. I know I must make everything as short as possible, and use my waist and bum to manifest the punch, and get all my power from bending my knees as much as possible. Yamaguchi sensei used to say that all karate happens below the knees. Standing toe-to-toe is not good, but getting in-close is the only way to be at my most effective. I want really small powerful punches. Remember, the further a punch travels, the weaker it gets, as it is being isolated from the body more and more.

 

Well, actually, your punches and kicks GAIN strength as they travel. Your muscles contract, accelerating the mass. At some point, the apex is reached and your limbs will begin decelerating. Your fists/legs do not start at their peak velocity and decelerate.

 

High kicks and punches also have their place due simply to the target. Punching down will generate more power because you don't have to fight gravity, but how effective is punching someone in the knee? A high kick or punch can be used to attack the head, and head hits have a tendancy to disorient and stun the victim.